Sewing machine for stitching waist bands or the like to a body fabric



G. C. COOPER ET AL May 22, 1934-,

SEWING MACHINE FOR STITCHING WAIST BANDS OR THE LIKE TO A BODY FABRIC Filed July 9, 193,1 7 Sheets-Sheet l Ihwentor y 22, 1934- G. c. COOPER El AL 1,959,703

SEWING MACHINE FOR STITCHING WAIST BANDS OR THE LIKE TO A BODY FABRIC Filed July 9, 1931 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 will '11 L Ill Gttornegs y 22, 1934- G. c. COOPER El AL 59,7Q8

SEWING MACHINE FOR STITCHING WAIST BANDS OR THE LIKE TO A BODY FABRIC Filed July 9. 1951 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 May 1934- G. c. COOPER ET AL 59,708

SEWING MACHINE FOR STITCHING WAIST BANDS OR THE LIKE TO A BODY FABRIC Filed July 9. 1931 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 May'zz, 1934- I G. c. COOPER El AL 1,959,703

SEWING MACHINE FOR STITCHING WAIST BANDS OR THE LIKE TO A BODY FABRIC Filed July 9. 1931 7 Sheets-Shet 5 7 Q} s l W g w w i N w r ll QQ. W

c fl 2 Q3 I s Q3 w Zimwntms -%-M Gttomegx y 1934- G. c. COOPER ET AL ,708

SEWING MACHINE FOR STITCHING WAIST BANDS OR THE LIKE TO A BODY FABRIC Filed July 9. 1931 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 3nnentots Gttorneg S May 22, 1 3 G. c. COOPER ET AL SEWING MACHINE FOR STITCHING WAIST BANDS OR THE LIKE TO A BODY FABRIC Filed July 9. 1931 7 Sheets$heet 7 lnventor s Patented May 22, 1934 UNITED STATES TENT FFEQ' SEWING MACHINE FOR STITCHING WAIST BANDS OR THE LIKE TO A BODY FABRIC Application July 9, 1931, Serial No. 549,782

4 Claims.

The invention relates to new and useful improvements in a machine for stitching a waist band or the like to a body fabric.

An object of the invention is to provide a machine having guiding means for directing the body fabric and the waist band sections to the stitching mechanism with a feeding device operating upon the superimposed fabric sections in rear of, the needle after said sections have been stitched together so as to insure an even feed and a smooth laying of the fabric sections which are to be united.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine of the above type wherein the feeding mechanism includes cooperating feed rollers,

one above and the other below the fabric sections, and wherein said feed roller above the fabric sections is intermittently rotated for feeding the material.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a machine of the above type. wherein the needle is vibrated laterally for forming stitches wherein the threads between stitches overlie the folded edge in the pants curtain.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a machine of the above type wherein the feeding mechanism is operated only after two consecutive stitch formations.

These and other objects will in part be obvious and will in part be hereinafter more fully disclosed; 7

In the drawings which show by way of illustration one embodiment of the invention Figure 1 is an end view of the machine embodying the improvements;

Fig. 2 is a front view of the same;

Fig. 3 is a view from the rear of the machine;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view showing the means for vibrating the needle and for imparting movement to the feed rollers in side elevation;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of certain of the parts above the work support;

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view through the actuating shaft for the upper feed wheel;

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic view showing the waist band sections and the body fabric, and the relation of the needle reciprocations thereto;

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the upper face of the fabric showing the stitch formation; and

Fig. 9 is a plan view of a folder for guiding the fabric sections shown in Figures 7 and 8.

The invention is directed to a sewing machine which is particularly adapted for the stitching of a waist band to a body fabric. The waist band includes a stiffening strip and a pants curtain, which may or may not be secured together prior to the joining of the same to the body fabric. The edge of the pants curtain is infolded, and the machine is designed for joining the super imposed pants curtain, body fabric and stiffening strip by stitches which pass through the pants curtain, and then over the edge of the pants curtain thus laying the thread between stitches so as to substantially imitate hand whipped stitches. The stitching mechanism includes a vibrating needle and a cooperating looper. Means is provided for directing the body 5 fabric, pants curtain and stiffening strip to the stitching mechanism with the edge portions thereof superimposed and with the pants curtain on top. A presser foot lightly bears on the fabric sections, continuously holding the same in contact with the throat plate beneath the presser foot. Said presser foot has a needle hole therethrough. Located in rear of the presser foot is a feeding mechanism which includes cooperating feed rollers. The lower feed roller is mounted for free rotation, and the upper feed roller is intermittently operated. Said upper feed roller is mounted for yielding movement up and down and is actuated by a clutch mechanism. This clutch mechanism is in turn operated from the mechanism which vibrates the needle laterally and is so constructed as to give a step forward movement to the feed roller after two successive needle reciprocations.

The invention will be better understood by a detail description of the present illustrated embodiment thereof. In the drawings, the machine is shown as including a supporting bed 1 on which is mounted a work support 2 provided with a throat plate 3. Attached to the bed is a standard 4 carrying an overhanging arm 5. At the free end of the arm is a head 6. .Mounted on the needle head is a gate 7 in which the needle bar 8 is mounted for reciprocation. The needle bar carries a need1e9. The needle bar is reciprocated by a needle lever 10 which is actuated from the main shaft 11 in the usual way. The needle gate is provided with an arm 12 whichis connected by a link 13 with an arm 14 attached to a shaft 15. This shaft 15 is mounted in suitable bearings carried by the standard and overhanging arm. Attached to the shaft 15 is a second arm 16 to which a'link 17 is pivotally connected at 18. The other end of the link 1'7 is connected to a ball stud 19 attached to a segment lever 20. Said segment lever is provided with a slot 21 in which the ball stud is mounted and along which it is adjusted Y for the purpose of varying the lateral throw of the needle. The segment lever 20 is pivoted at 22 and carries a fork 23 cooperating with a cam 24 mounted on a stub shaft 25. The stub shaft carries a gear 26 which meshes with a gear 27 on the main actuating shaft 11. The gears 26 and 27 are so proportioned that the stub shaft is rotated once for every two rotations of the main actuating shaft, and therefore, the segment lever will be moved in one direction for one rotation of the main shaft, and then .in the other direction for the next rotation of the main shaft.

Cooperating with the needle beneath thework support is a looper of the usual construction which is oscillated and given a needle avoiding movement. This looper cooperates with the needle on each reciprocation.

The material is held on the throat plate by a presser foot 28. The presser foot 23 is pivoted to an arm 29 which in turn is pivoted at 30 to a bracket 31 secured to the head 6 of the amachine. A spring 32attached .to the bracket and bearing on the arm 29 also bears on the presser foot and yieldingly holds said foot against the material. This presser foot continuously holds the material lightly pressed against the throat plate. It serves to strip the fabric from the needle but takes no part in the feeding movements of the fabric sections.

The body fabric is directed over a base :plate 33 and is guided to the needle by an edge :guide 341attached thereto. The base plate is provided with a guiding channel 35 through which the stiffening strip is guided, so :that the edge por tion thereof will be placed underneath the edge portion of the body fabric. This base plate has a raised portion 36 which bends the stiffening strip intermediate the side edges thereof. Lo-' cated above the base :plate is :a guiding member 37 for the pants curtain. Said guiding member 37 has a guiding channel '38 so shaped as to inturn the edge portion of the pants curtain as it is directed to the stitching mechanism. Said pants curtain may, however, have the edge portion thereof inturned-prior to the passing of the :same into and through the guide 'The guide :37 is carried by a shank portion 39. It is adjustably attached to the base plate 33,-by suitable screws. The base plate .is adjustably attached to the work support by suitable screws. Associated with the guide 3V and the base plate is :a guide 39 carried by a shank 40 which adiustably secured to the base plate.

In Fig. "7 of the drawings, the body fabric is indicated at B; the pants curtain is indicated at P, and the int-urned edge portion thereof at C. The stiffening strip is indicated at S. The stiffening strip and the pants curtain secured together by a line of stitching s. The needle 9 at one reciprocation :passe's along the line 11. as indicated in Fig. =7, and at its next reciprocation it passes along the line n. At one reciprocation, the needle penetrates the pants curtain near the folded edge thereof, the body fabric and the stiffening strip. At the next reciprocation, it passes through the body fabric and the stiffening strip only, and therefore, the needle thread and consecutive needle punctures will extend across the folded edge of the pants curtain. The stiffening strip S and the pants curtain P at the right-hand side thereof pass through the guide 39. The base plate and the guide member 37 are so shaped as to separate the edge portions of the stiffening strip and the :pants curtain when they first pass into the guides therefor, so as to permit the edge of the pants curtain to be inturned. The fabric sections are, however, superimposed, one flat on the other, with the pants curtain on top when they pass beneath the presser foot. The folding attachment for the machine willnot be described in further detail, as it is shown, described and claimed in a co-pending application filed of even date herewith. This folding attachment may be greatly varied as to structure, the

essential feature consisting in the guiding of the waist band so that the body fabric will be inserted between the pants curtain and the stiffening strip, with the pants curtain on top.

It is obvious that from certain aspects of the invention, the machine may be used for other .purposesthan the stitching of waist bands to body fabrics, but is especially adapted for the stitching of a fabric section with the edge portion inturned about the fabric section beneath the same by stitches so laid that the thread between :consecutive stitches crosses over a fold in the edge portion of the upper. fabric section.

The material is drawn through guiding devices therefor and presented to 'theneedle by co'operating feed rollers. A lower :feed roller 41 is mounted for free rotation in bearing lugs carried by the under side of the throat plate. The upper feed roller 42 is mounted on a bearing attached to a presser bar 43 mounted in'the head 6 carried by the overhanging arm. .hileaf spring 44 bears on the presser bar and yieldingly holds the upper feed roller in engagement With the material. The presser tba'r may be raised by means of .a lever 45. At the ilOWFil" end of the presser bar is a stud 46 which is located beneath the arm .29, and when the presser bar is raised, not only will "the feed .roller be raised, but the presser foot will also be lifted from the material. The upp'er'feed roller '42 is rotated by a shaft Fl-which is :connected to the feed roller by a flexible section 48. 'The shaft 47 is mounted in bearings in a bracket 49 and is, therefore, held in fixed position relative to the work support. The flexible connection to the feed roller permits said feed roller to freely move up and 'down, as

the fabric sections vary .in thickness, 'and when said roller is lifted from the fabric sections .for removing the same from "the machine. The bracket .49 is provided with .yoke arms '50 :and 51.

Adjacent the yoke arm 50 is a collar 52 which is 7:

freely mounted on the shaft 4'7. This collar is fixed to the yoke arm, so that it does not move. Attached to the collarisa clutch-spring 53 which is tightly wound about .a sleeve fixed to the shaft 4'7 and grips the-same toprevent any retrograde movement in said shaft. Freely mounted on the shaft is a collar 5 1. A clutch spring is attached to this collar 54 and is-tightly wound around the sleeve on 'the shaft, so 'as to grip the sleeve when the collar is turned in one direction for turning the shaft. Between the two springs the sleeve is provided with a collar 56. Neither the spring 53 or 55 is connected to the collar, but at their free ends firmly grip the sleeve as noted above. with an arm '57. The arm 57 carries a stud 58 which engages a slot 59 in a plate 60 which is attached to the segment lever 20 by screws 61, 6.1. When the segment lever oscillates in one direction, it will turn the collar in the shaft so as to cause the spring clutch associated therewith to grip the shaft and turn the feed roller attached thereto a forward step. When the segment lever swings in the opposite direction, the spring clutch will release the shaft, and the The collar 54 is provided r .for the next successive stroke.

spring clutch 53 will grip the shaft and prevent retrograde movement thereof. The segment lever when moved in one direction positions the needle for one stroke thereof, and when moved in the other direction, it positions the needle Therefore, the feed roller which is only operated when the segment swings in one direction, will be actuated once for two successive reciprocations of the needle.

Referring to Fig. 8 of the drawings, it will be noted that the needle at one reciprocation enters the fabric at the point a. While the needle is being moved laterally for the next reciprocation, the fabric is fed one stitch length, and a needle enters the fabric at the point 1). While the needle is again moved laterally for the next reciprocation, the feed roller is idle and there is no feeding of the fabric. Therefore, the needle will enter the fabric sections at the point 0. The thread between the needle punctures a and b will extend diagonally across the fold in the edge of the pants curtain P. The needle thread between the punctures b and 0 will extend at right angles across the fold in the edge of the pants curtain. The extent of lateral vibration compared with the stitch length may be relatively small, and the resulting stitching of the fabric sections very closely resembles hand whipping. This stitch formation may be said to be a Z- shaped zigzag stitch.

It will be noted that the feed rollers engage the fabric sections after they have been stitched and they pull the fabric sections for the guiding devices. The presser foot bearing lightly thereon will smooth the fabric sections, and even though the pants curtain may be a strip of fabric cut on the bias, and a strip of very thin fabric, it will be laid smooth and presented to the stitching mechanism, and after the fabric sections are secured together, the feed rollers engaging the stitched sections will cause the united sections to be moved a stitch length without slipping one section on the other. The sections are smoothly laid due to the fact partly because a positively operated feed roller engages the upper fabric section, but mainly because the presser foot is merely a fabric stripping foot for holding the fabric while the needle raises, and therefore, is lightly pressed against the material. The feed rollers are disposed relative to the needle, so that said feed rollers lie substantially at one side of a plane containing the needle, and parallel with the line of feed. The superimposed portions of the fabric sections pass directly between the feed rollers and will be firmly gripped and smoothly fed.

It is obvious that minor changes in the details of construction and the arrangement of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a sewing machine, a work support, a stitch forming mechanism including a needle,

a guiding attachment for directing a pants curtain, a body fabric and a stiffening strip with the body portions to be stitched in superimposed relation to the needle, a yielding foot engaging the fabric sections adjacent the needle, a feeding mechanism including cooperating upper and lower feed rollers engaging said fabric sections in rear of the foot and the needle and serving as the sole means for feeding said fabric sections to and from the needle, means for supporting said upper feed roller so that it may be raised and lowered, means for intermittently rotating said upper feed roller, and means for vibrating said needle laterally, said feed roller actuating means being timed so as to feed the fabric sections one stitch length for every two reciprocations of the needle.

2. In a sewing machine, a work support, stitch forming mechanism including a needle, a guiding attachment for directing a pants curtain, a body fabric and a stiffening strip with the body portions thereof in superimposed relation to the needle, a yielding foot engaging the fabric sections adjacent the needle, cooperating upper and lower feed rollers engaging the fabric sections in rear of the foot and needle and serving as the sole means for feeding the fabric sections to and from the needle, means for vibrating said needle laterally including an oscillating member, and a clutch feeding mechanism operated by said oscillating member for imparting intermittent movements to the upper feed roller whereby said feed roller is actuated for feeding the fabric sections when the needle is vibrated in one direction and is idle when the needle is vibrated in the opposite direction.

3. In a sewing machine, a work support, stitch forming mechanism including a needle, a guiding attachment for directing a pants curtain, a body fabric and a stiffening strip with the body portions thereof in superimposed relation to the needle, a yielding foot engaging the fabric sections adjacent the needle, cooperating upper and lower feed rollers engaging the fabric sections in rear of the foot and needle and serving as the sole means for feeding the fabric sections to and from the needle, means for vibrating said needle laterally including an oscillating member, a shaft having a flexible connection to the upper feed roller, a clutch associated with said shaft and connected to said oscillating member for imparting the oscillation to the shaft when the oscillating member is vibrated in one direction, and means for preventing retrograde movement of the shaft when the oscillating member is vibrated in the opposite direction.

4. In a sewing machine, a needle, means for vibrating said needle laterally, a feeding mechanism including feed rollers, a clutch for intermittently rotating one of said feed rollers, and means operated by the needle vibrating means for operating said clutch whereby said material is fed during one lateral movement of the needle only.

GROVER C. COOPER. JOSEPH MANN. 

